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Lt-Gen Mahmood made MD of FFC

By Shaukat Piracha

ISLAMABAD: Lt General (r) Mahmood Ahmad, who was Rawalpindi Corps commander when the Nawaz Sharif government was overthrown in a military coup on October 12, 1999, made his first public appearance here on Wednesday in his capacity as the managing director (MD) of Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) Limited and observed that no one had “blessed” him the post of MD except God.

Mr Ahmad, who retired at the end of 2001 after being superseded, appeared before a select group of journalists, mainly from the English newspapers, but refused to answer questions on the 1999 coup or the Taliban regime. “Let mystery remain a mystery,” he responded when asked about events in Pakistan and Afghanistan before the war to displace the Taliban regime.

Mr Ahmad was one of the three generals — the others being General Aziz Khan, now chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and Gen Usmani — who went against then prime minister Sharifif’s decision to sack Genl Pervez Musharraf as COAS and replace him with Gen Ziauddin Butt.

He also refused to talk about rumours of his detention following his being superseded, and instead tried to steer the discussion to the financial achievements of the FFC. He said the company was one of the top three in the Karachi Stock Exchange thanks to the hard work and dedication of a couple of expert officials and efficient management. “We have made the country self-sufficient in Urea production and nuclear technology,” he said.

One journalist pointed out that Lt Gen (r) Jamshed Gulzar Kiani was appointed to the FPSC just the second day after his retirement. Why was his appointed so late, Mr Ahmad said perhaps it was because Gen Kiani “lived in Rawalpindi”, whereas he lived away from there and had domestic affairs to settle.

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